Jeff Parker continues the story that he began in his Agents of Atlas mini-series with this new ongoing that also ties into Marvel’s Dark Reign. The Dark Reign part of the story only really pertains to the fact that Norman Osborn now runs H.A.M.M.E.R. (formerly S.H.I.E.L.D.) and makes it his business to know all the super-powered activity going on.

After the first mini-series, Jimmy Woo – secret agent, scourge of the sinister organization Yellow Claw — is now in charge of The Atlas Foundation, a sinister organization that for centuries has tried to return the legacy of Genghis Khan to control the world. Yellow Claw and The Atlas Foundation are one and the same. Woo along with Gorilla Man, Venus, X-11: the Human Robot, Bob Grayson (Marvel Boy) and Namora of Atlantis, form the Agents of Atlas, hoping to use the foundation for good instead of evil while pretending that they are still evil.

The Agents of Atlas first appeared along with the 3-D Man in What If?! #9 as a 1950’s version of the Avengers. Parker took the concept and made it cannon in the current Marvel universe. The group was a secret super-hero group in the 1950’s that got back together in the present to fight The Atlas Foundation only to find themselves running it instead. This issue continues with Woo trying to play both sides and to get on Osborn’s good side so that he doesn’t interfere with them.

I enjoyed the first mini-series and look forward to see where this new series is going. The art by Pagulayan is amazing and the back up story featuring Wolverine in the 1950’s running into Woo and company was entertaining. There is a cool pulp adventure feel to the original mini-series and I hope that it continues in this new ongoing. (Shane Hnetka)

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